What is the TRX Biceps Curl?
The TRX Biceps Curl is a bodyweight curl where you lean back on TRX straps and bend your elbows to pull your body up. It mainly trains the biceps and brachialis. You change the difficulty by moving your feet.
Quick facts
- Level: Beginner
- Equipment: TRX suspension trainer
- Movement pattern: Elbow flexion
- Force: Pull
- Type: Isolation
- Sides: Both arms together
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
- Biceps and brachialis
Secondary muscles
- Forearms (brachioradialis)
- Abs (rectus abdominis)
Your abs work to keep your body straight while you lean back.
How to do the TRX Biceps Curl
- Setup: Adjust the TRX straps to mid-length. Stand facing the anchor point.
- Setup: Hold the handles with your palms facing up. Walk your feet forward until the straps are tight.
- Start: Lean back with your body in a straight line. Raise your arms in front of you to shoulder height.
- Move: Brace your core and keep your elbows high. Curl your hands toward your forehead.
- Move: Squeeze your biceps at the top. Your body moves up toward your hands.
- Return: Straighten your arms slowly to lower yourself back to the start.
Coaching cues
- Keep your elbows pointing at the anchor.
- Curl your hands toward your forehead.
- Stay straight from head to heels.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the elbows. Keep your upper arms at shoulder height. If they drop, the movement turns into a row.
- Bending at the hips. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes so your body stays in one line.
- Falling back fast. Lower yourself slowly until your arms are straight.
Easier and harder options
- Easier: More upright stance. Step your feet away from the anchor so you lean back less and lift less of your bodyweight.
- Harder: Steeper lean. Walk your feet closer to the anchor so you lean back further. This loads your biceps more.
Training focus and energy demand
This exercise is mostly used to build biceps strength and muscle size. It also works well for muscle endurance with a more upright stance.
Your body uses several energy systems together. The mix shifts with how hard, how fast and how long you work, and with rest. Short, hard sets draw more on fast energy stored in the muscle. Longer sets lean more on aerobic energy. Hard efforts that last from several seconds to a few minutes also rely heavily on energy your muscles make quickly from carbohydrate.
FAQs
How is this different from a TRX row?
In a row, your elbows move back past your body. In this curl, your elbows stay high and only your forearms move.